


maybe this can last forever

by psychedelic_rainbow



Category: John Wick (Movies)
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, F/M, Fluff, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:00:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22195921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/psychedelic_rainbow/pseuds/psychedelic_rainbow
Summary: a lil thing I did, enjoy
Relationships: Santino D'Antonio/Reader, Santino D'Antonio/You
Comments: 1
Kudos: 38





	maybe this can last forever

**Author's Note:**

> a lil thing I did, enjoy

The monitor at your bedside beeps its rhythmic tune, synchronising with your pulse. The sky outside looks gloomy and grey, littered with clouds that mirror your mood. The cold, expensive sheets bunch up at your waist as you slowly move to sit up, the pounding in your head continuing its steady, continuous pace. The past few weeks have been extra rough on you, without him at your side, making you happy, cheering you up. As you stretch out your sore limbs and move to climb out of bed, the faint smell of bacon and coffee hits your senses, the clanging of pots barely audible from your location. You get out of bed and tug on one of his expensive sweaters that smells like him, reminding you of the comfort he brings even when he is not there with you. As you walk out of the room, you grab the half empty bottle of medication and make your way down the grand marble staircase that overlooks the main entryway of the villa. You’re not used to living in such luxury, growing up in an orphanage, often living out on the streets or in apartments not big enough to fit an animal, let alone a grown adult. The marble tiles were chilling beneath your feet as you slowly made your way through the house towards the delicious smells wafting to your nose. You wondered who it could be; usually the house was empty, save for the occasional check ups by bodyguards and security. As you entered through the foyer leading to the kitchen, the smells hit you stronger and you peered around the corner to see a figure leaning against the open refrigerator, sifting through the many different items located within. You cocked your head at the stainless steel door and opened your mouth to make a remark when suddenly the door was closed and the figure put a carton of orange juice on the counter, stopping when they noticed you in the doorway. 

“Ciao, bella. I came home early and thought I would treat you to a breakfast, just how you like it, carissima.” His soft voice caressed your ears as you broke out into a giant, beaming smile, slightly running towards him until you were encompassed by his arms. His scent surrounded you as you nuzzled into his warm chest and closed your eyes, reveling in the moment. He kissed the top of your head, burying his nose in your curly hair, arms tightening around your waist ever so slightly.

“Santi, oh how I have missed you.” You say, words muffled by his chest, as he lets out a small chuckle and pulls back to look you over. 

“I know, amore, I have missed you as well. These last few weeks have been terrible without your beautiful face. How are you faring, bella? The headaches any better?” He looks down at you, worry swarming through his soft green eyes, eyes that only you have had the pleasure of seeing. When you first met Santino, you hadn’t ever thought that you would end up falling in love with him. He was cocky, confident, powerful, seductive. He was known for his conquests, known for his flirtatious manner and ability to entice anyone. However, when he had first approached you at a luxury club in New York, you had seen the cockiness radiating off him, and his impression that he would win you over like it was no trouble. What he didn’t expect was for you to smile snarkily at him before tossing your drink in his face. You felt proud of yourself as you exited the club, sick and tired of dealing with self-entitled rich pricks who though they could get anything at the snap of their fingers. However, much to your surprise, he showed up at your work, a small cafe that doubled as a bookshop, and was charming, apologizing for his behavior the day prior. Initially you had just scoffed and asked him how hard it was for him to admit that he was being an asshole and he let out a laugh, one that was genuine, if you had ever seen one. After that, you had slowly become friends, him showing up to the little cafe and talking to you about anything and everything. You would sit with him for hours, discussing politics, world problems, likes and dislikes. It was when you made an offhand comment about him being part of some big italian mafia, that you were told the truth. You hadn’t known that they had really existed, just something you saw in movies, yet you weren’t as scared as he thought you’d be.

“ _ I mean hey, if anything, i’ll just use you as a meat shield. God knows you probably have like a million bodyguards to protect you. _ ” You had joked to him, causing him to laugh again, almost choking on his espresso. From then on, you guys only became closer, with him being the only real friend you had and you being the only one who could tolerate him for longer than five minutes. You didnt realize your relationship with him changing into something more than friendship until you got a call from Ares, who you later found out was his right hand and not in fact his friend, saying that Santino had gotten shot in an assassination attempt. You had quickly dropped all of your stuff, running through the busy streets of New York to get a quick ride to the location he was being kept at. You arrived at the steps of the grand hotel, the Continental, taking the steps two at a time and pushing open the doors to run down the length of the building to the front desk. Ares had been waiting for you and motioned for you to follow her. The trip in the elevator was tense, your mind drifting to all the horrible thoughts surrounding Santino.  _ What if he can’t recover, what if he dies? _ As the elevator doors opened, you drifted out of your thoughts and looked expectantly at Ares, who walked into the grand room and down a spacious hall to the entryway of a room in the back. She nodded her head at you and returned the way she came, allowing for you to take a deep breath and open the door. The sight that had greeted you was less than pleasant. Santino laid in the middle of the king size bed, his hair all ruffled, a large bandage wrapped around his torso. 

“Ciao, bella. How are you?” He asked with a smirk on his face.

“How am I? How am I? Well lets see, my best friend gets shot and I didnt find out about it hours later when you could’ve been dead. So Im thinking im not doing so hot.” She ranted, scolding him, worry etched into her eyes and posture. 

“Aw, come on bella. Who do you take me for? I'm not that easy to kill.”

“You're not invincible, Santi, you could've been seriously hurt! What if you died? I dont think id be able to-” you cut off, the words getting stuck in your throat. Your eyes grew heavy and the pressure in your chest increased as a few stray drops began to fall down your face. 

"Oh, cara mia, come here. Nothing will ever take me away from you, I promise. And I dont often make promises I cannot keep." He gestured for you to come lay with him, sliding over as carefully as he could as to not pull his stitches. You took off your shoes and your heavy coat before lifting the blanket and laying with him. He tucked you into his side and sighed, beginning to murmur words to you in italian. You let the warmth encompass you, the pure scent of him making you feel comforted and at home.  _ Home. _ Santino was your home. The realization came as a shock, yet you seemed unsurprised. You gazed up at him, shifting a little away from him so that you could look at him fully. 

"Hey, Santi…" you whispered, gazing up at him, reaching out a hand to touch one of his messy curls.

"Yes, bella?" He looked down at you, his green eyes shining at you, a warm smile on his lips as he gazed at you unapologetically. You wondered how the hell you could've possibly missed it. 

"I think that I- that I love you." You whispered, your heart clenching in your chest, the fear of rejection making your throat cease up. His eyes widened, his mouth forming an 'O' shape, not fully comprehending what you said.

"cara mia, I- what did you just say?" 

You took a deep breath before meeting his eyes once more, stating more confidently, "I think I love you, am in love with you, Santino" He took in a sharp breath before slowly breaking out into a beaming smile. He then tugged on you, pulling you so that you were laying on top of him, foreheads touching, breaths mingling. 

"Santi! Careful, you're injured! I don't want to cause mor-" your sentence was cut short when he pulled your face down to meet his, his lips touching yours ever so gently before taking a breath and kissing you harder. You spent the rest of the evening with him, switching between cuddling while watching movies and kissing until you were both breathless.

You are shaken out of your remenicience by Santino, as he grabs your face within his hands and kisses you softly and full of passion. You mean into his mouth and press yourself closer to him, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt. When you both pull away breathless, he goes back to the stove where he finishes playing your breakfast. You both take a seat at the smaller oak table where you talk to him about his recent trip to London where he was forced to undergo countless hours of negotiation on behalf of the Camorra family. 

"But enough about me, bella, I want to spend more time with you and not worry about business. What time is the doctor supposed to come around?" He asked placing the dirty plates in the sink and grabbing your hand, dragging you back upstairs to your room. 

"Dr. Romano is supposed to be here around 2 to give me last weeks test results and to take some more." You said as you entered the room, Santino following shortly behind. Be shut the door quietly before turning to you with a smirk on his face. 

"You know, bella, the doctor won't be here for another hour and a half…" Santino looked at you with a mischievous grin, and you smirked back at him, beckoning him forward.

When the doctor arrived, you two were laying next to each other on the couch in the main room downstairs, Santino reading  _ Il Sogno Che Ho Di Te  _ to you as you played with his hair, breathing in the fresh air and listening to the sound of Santino's voice, the beautiful italian coming out like a melody. The doctor nodded at the guards at the door before entering and greeting you both, coming to sit on the chair situated across from you both. You smiled and sat up, grinning at the doctor. 

"What's up, Doc?" You say with a grin, reaching down to hold Santino's hand, wanting the comfort it brought. 

"I have your test results from last week, Ms. (Last Name)." The doctor side eyes Santino before turning his gaze back onto you and continuing, “I'm afraid I have some..bad news.” You stiffen up, glancing over at Santino as his grip on your hand tightens. You take a deep breath and nod at the doctor to continue. 

“Based on the blood work that we did, there was an irregularity. We don't know why, but your blood cells seem to be attacking each other, causing your body to reject the blood all together. We haven't ever heard of a case like this before, i'm afraid we are lacking the knowledge needed to help find a cure..” he finishes with a solemn look on his face as he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He looked truly defeated. Santino stood up and began talking about different doctors to call, different studies that could potentially lead to more information about the disease. You sat there, Santino and the doctor’s voices becoming background noise. You focused on the view of the villa, and the ocean that it overlooked. You took in the scents, the smell of flowers and Santino’s cologne filling your nose. You listened to the birds chirping and the way Santino’s voice sounded, ingraining it into your memory, wanting to hold on to it for as long as you could, the sweet melodic sound giving you the most pleasure even in dark times. You interrupt Santino and the doctors conversation.

“Thank you for coming and delivering the news personally. I want to thank you for all the work you’ve done to help me, it really means a lot to me.”

He stands up straight, grabbing his bag that he came in with and nodding at you with a grim smile. 

“It has been an honor working with you. You have only ever been nothing but nice to me, and for that I shall never forget you. I am deeply sorry that I can’t be of any help.” he said as you walked him to the door. You nod and give him one of your best smiles, attempting to convey all your gratitude. As he walks out you slowly close the door and make your way back over to Santino, who is pacing back and forth, running his fingers through his hair, something you know he does when he is stressed and anxious. As you make your way over to where he is standing, he looks over at you, beginning to talk rapidly along with his pacing. He rambles about doctors, tests, and experiments, what the next steps should be. You grab his arms and force him to face you, halting his pacing.

“Santino. I don’t want to go see another doctor.” you said looking at him in the eyes. His eyes flicker with anger, his face twisting into disbelief before you place your hands on the sides of his face, forcing him to look you in the eyes.

“Santi, i’ve been seeing doctors for two years...I'm tired. I don't want to spend my whole life drawing blood, running tests, being the ‘sick girl’. I want to live normally, live out my days, however many I have left that is, being happy and not having to worry about experiments done on me.” you explain to him, your eyes softening as you notice the look of pain enter his eyes, something you never wanted to be the cause of. 

“ _ Bella _ , I-I need you to get better. I can’t imagine what it would be like if-” he cut himself off, swallowing the lump in his throat as he peered into your eyes. You cupped his cheek and kissed him with every ounce of tenderness you had. As you pulled away, you brushed your thumb across his lips, his breaths coming out in pants as he closed his eyes tightly. 

“Everything will be fine, love. I promise you. I love you, forever and beyond.” you say softly capturing his eyes again. He wraps his arms around you and embraces you tightly, many words left unsaid. 

The next few months were sort of chaotic, but you loved every moment of it. Despite your recent taking to coughing up blood, you’ve managed to keep Santino’s mind off it by spending everyday and all day with him, from shopping, to touring art museums. Despite your attempts at making it seem like the disease was non-existent, you could still spot the pain and sorrow in his eyes every time you went on a coughing rant or spat out blood. However, you were determined more than ever to make Santino happy, for despite your reassurances, you knew your time was running up. Three and a half months after the doctor told you the news, on your third year anniversary of meeting, Santino proposed to you, underneath the decorative lights of the Villa Doria Pamphili. You laughed, you cried tears of joy, you were truly at your happiest. Your high only seemed to continue, with the small wedding being held a month after, with Gianna as your maid of honor and Ares and the best man. At this point in time, you had more trouble standing for longer periods of time, so you successfully completed the dance before you were forced to rest. Despite some minor setbacks, the day was one of your happiest. Santino wore the biggest smile, and when he finally placed the ring on your finger, you saw his eyes brighten up in a way that you don’t think has ever happened before. You spent the rest of the evening together, the whispered declarations of love and happiness passed between you both as you delved into your own world. 

The momentum of luck that you had would have to run out somehow, and you knew it was coming. In the following months after your wedding, you began to grow weaker and weaker, somedays barely able to lift yourself out of bed to use the restroom or eat. You began to cough up more and more blood, going from tiny splotches to full on vomiting blood. Santino was there with you the whole time, ever the loving  _ husband _ that he was, yet you could see his happiness flow away with each passing moment as you grew sicker.

It was after the start of the new year, and you had just started to feel better, coughing up less blood and regaining more muscle. You were sitting on the couch, with Santino lying next to you, him holding a small book and you taking in the scenery. You knew. Somehow, you just knew that you were closer. You tried to find the words to say, but what do you say to someone you love when you know that you won't be there to watch over them and keep them safe. You looked over at Santino, a puppy dog smile and eyes shining brightly. He glanced up from his notes, numerous piles of notes and suggestions on your mysterious disease, and gave you a questioning look.

"What is it, bella? Are you okay?" He put down the notes quickly, favoring to check you up and down, looking for signs of pain. You gently clasped his hands in your own, giving them a small squeeze before replying.

"Could you read to me? Like we used to do? I want to hear your beautiful language, hear your beautiful voice." You glanced up at him, eyes hopeful. He made a noise of protest before looking at your face and letting out a sigh. He reached over the side of the couch, licking up the closet book he could find and began to read to you. You smiled and shifted so that his head was in your lap, allowing you to play with his hair and breathe in his cologne. The soft melodic sound of his voice caressed your ears, your eyes staring out into the valley leading down to the ocean. You breathed in deep, allowing yourself to take in the moment, the perfect moment, where you felt true happiness. The birds sang outside the open doors, the sun finally making its way into the sky for the first time in months.  _ Maybe this could last forever.  _

The rain held a lot of emotions. Fear, loneliness, sadness, relief. In the confines of the bleak New York Day, the sun was hidden away, seemingly lost. Santino opened his umbrella as he stepped off the grounds of the New York Continental, quickly hopping in a giant, beige Cadillac Escalade. He shook off his umbrella outside of the car before taking his seat, Ares beside him as always. He looked down at his watch with a frown, muttering curses before giving directions to the driver. The drive wasn't too long, about an hour into the rural parts of New York. The car pulled up next to an entryway into a forest of some sort, and Santino got out motioning for only Ares to follow. As he made his way down the path littered with flowers, the rain became heavier, pouring down in him. Ares had offered him an umbrella, however, he refused silently with a wave of his hand. As he made it to the end of the path, a small, yet beautiful bridge appeared. He looked at the bridge and smiled a little, remembering when you first brought him here on one of your first dates with him. You spent the whole time ranting about different types of bridges and designs and colors, your eyes bright and full of wonderment. He kissed you passionately in the middle of the bridge, his gaze promising you the world and yours promising unconditional love. He was shaken out of his thoughts by Ares's hand gently resting on his shoulder. 

_ 'I'll be waiting back at the car.' _

He nodded with a small, sad smile before turning back to what he came here for. He gently walked forward, placing the bouquet of light pink dahlias on the perfectly placed patch of grass. He smiled as a tear slipped down his cheek, pressing a kiss to his hand before resting it on the polished marble stone. ' _ A beautiful soul, who shines on us even in our darkest times _ '. 

"My bella. How are you today? I brought you your favorite flowers, carissima." He spoke softly the rustle of the trees and the sound of rushing water making its way to his ears. He knew why you loved this place so much, it was so..peaceful. He took one long look at the stone, teaching into his pocket to play with a round piece of metal, one containing much more than an oath. As he took a final look at the beautiful secret spot, the rain began to let up little by little. As he made his way back to the car, he paused before getting in, glancing longingly once more at the entrance. As he was looking, the clouds in the sky parted and the first patch if sunlight appeared, taking its warmth and settling it in his sorrowful form. He allowed his palms to open up, catching the heat on his hands, and for the first time in months, he smiled. 

"Oh, bella, how I have missed you so.." he whispered to himself. The trees seemed to sway a little, and he smiled one last time at the entryway before entering into the car. He had a man to see about an unbreakable oath. As the car drove away, the sun continued to spread out across the sky, enveloping New York in a ray of warmth.


End file.
